Avoid problems related to parenting plans in divorce

Every California family is unique and those who are currently navigating divorce may need some extra support to overcome the challenges that arise. Creating new parenting plans is often the most difficult part of divorce, especially if parents do not agree on certain issues. There are several ways to avoid major post-divorce stress, all of which include each parent's willingness to act in children's best interests.  

In fact, one of the best ways to keep post-divorce stress to a minimum is to be mindful that divorce has to do with a marriage that didn't work out, not a parent/child relationship. There are indeed situations with a parental matter (such as abuse) has prompted a divorce; however, such situations are atypical and may require an alternative approach. In most divorce situations, the more parents are willing to cooperate and compromise for the sake of their children, the better.  

While some marriages simply deteriorate and end in rather uneventful terms in court, others involve emotionally-heated situations where one or both parents have very poor views of the other. Parents are often tempted to vent their feelings in front of their children. Children fare much better in the long run if parents avoid speaking negatively about one another in front of their kids.  

Parenting plans are usually customizable in divorce. California parents do well to discuss scheduling issues and various factors that impact their situations, such as job-related factors, academic or social commitments or other obligations that may affect children's travel between homes or a parent's ability to be in a certain place at a specific time. If a legal complication arises, there are support networks in place to help. 

Source: parents.com, "9 Rules to Make Joint Child Custody Work", Kate Bayless, Accessed on May 22, 2018